Sunday, June 20, 2010

Oh dear.....

Well, here I am, a little late and with almost too much news for a single post.
News of my demise has been greatly exaggerated - I have just been suffering from computer fatigue, due to assignments, required tutorial postings and general fighting and scrapping with administrators and bureaucrats. And then there were exams. Sigh.

I have however, been knitting ('I knit so I don't kill people' has become a mantra).
There has been knitting. Here is A Little Something (Sundara Silky Merino Aran - from a Ravelry de-stash):


A second Tempest (longer - in Somoko)


A Transverse Cardigan, in Classic Elite Renaissance (also from a Ravelry de-stash)

A Tea Leaves cardigan in Sanguine Gryphon Traveller. This may be my favourite cardigan yet. The pattern is lovely and the wool is gorgeous.


There is a bit of a selfish knitting theme going on here, partly because most of my cardigans and jumpers are too large on me this year (happy dance!) but also because it is comforting to be making oneself something pretty when wading through a pile of assignments. I have also been trying to shop heavily from my non-stash (as it is well known that I have NO STASH).

Partly this is motivated by the rather large quantity of - ahem - insulation which appears to live in our spare room (amongst other places), and partly because, while organising it, I discovered how much beautiful - ahem - insulation - I appear to possess. So I am using it, rather than merely patting it and admiring it.

I seem to have actually knitted more than I have acquired over the last few months. This is A Good Thing, especially with the Bendigo Wool and Sheep Show on the horizon, and the near certainty that I may acquire at least something knittable while I am there.

But it hasn't all been slaving over a hot computer and forcing the family to eat what ever I can throw together in 20 minutes.

No, no.


Just after Easter we escaped to Coles Bay for a wedding. The Accountant's God-daughter married her beau, in a most beautiful ceremony held practically on top of a mountain, overlooking Moulting Lagoon, the Swan River and across toward Swansea. Beautiful day, stunning bride and amazing location. Because of this, we had a lovely weekend away and the weather was perfect, as was the wedding. (I love a good wedding.)


My lovely Step-mother came with us, and looked after these two monsters while we attended the wedding, and the reception later.


After the stress of the assignments, and my practicuum (which was wonderful and exciting and took place in a 'challenging' school, with a very experienced teacher, and a fun and very lively class), we took a holiday. In fact, I actually truanted from my course for the final week. I made sure all assignments and tutorial work was done, packed the lightest text book for exam study and we headed off for two weeks in Fiji. I studied and knitted in a hammock, snorkelled every day, taught the Princes to snorkel, saw sharks and rays and lots of lovely fish and coral, kayaked and found 2 lost Fijian Crested Iguanas while knitting in my hammock.

The finding of the escaped iguanas then gave me an excuse for spending as much time in the hammock as possible. When people asked what I was doing, I could reply that I was looking for iguanas, with a perfectly straight face. I basically finished some Vesper socks (still have to put in afterthought heels), started some Duckies socks, and almost finished a Citron shawlette (hate that word).
The Citron would actually have been finished - had the Knitpicks cable not broken - grrrrrrrr!

So that's it really. You are up to date. Now I am on holiday (as much as a mother ever is!), the kids are back at school. The Princess still has her 4 Fijian beaded braids in and is resisting all attempts to remove them. Destructoboy is missing his splashes in the pool and unlimited access to pineapple and paw paw. The Accountant is missing the warmth and relaxation, and I am missing my hammock.It is the shortest day today, and utterly freezing. We had a hard frost this morning. Fiji seems very far away.

Excuse me, I need to go and knit something.......

18 comments:

2paw said...

Hello Dear!! You are looking exceedingly full of wellness and health!! Gorgeous cardis, I love a good cardi and yours are. Good thing your house has lots of insulation!!!
Most amusing iguana story!!
It must be a shock to come back t the shortest day, but I think it is a time to celebrate the coming lightness!!
Happy knitting: it's 3* here!!!

amy said...

Well no wonder you haven't been blogging! You've been so busy. I hope the term ended well for you.

I am terribly disappointed that my children are spending the longest day STILL IN SCHOOL. Five more days until they're all mine...

Rose Red said...

Huzzah for productive knitting and lots of new cardis and shopping the stash! Not to mention a succesful prac, a lovely wedding and two whole weeks in Fiji (I am most envious of that!)

Anonymous said...

If this little lot is what you do when you're run off your feet, I'm staggering at the thought of what you could do if you only had the time!!
Good grief! And well done!!!
Happy 'rest' time!!
And I do love your mantra. inspirational it is!

Lynne said...

Congratulations on knits that are now too big! And on the beautiful new knits.

Thanks for the new name for my collection - "insulation"!

I'd trade Fiji for this cold weather - wonder if any Fijians want to house swap? LOL

Bells said...

wow you've been SO productive!!! Well done!

Jan said...

I don't have "insulation." I have "soundproofing" as most of my yarn is in boxes in what is probably meant to be a broom cupboard with one of the few bits of wall common to neighbours. So some may need soundproofing when they have more than enough insulation.

I love all those cardis. They look great and well done on the study. I ran a household of five of us and a boarder while I did a diploma. I have some idea of the effort you have put in. Then i came back to convert the diploma to a degree. There were five of us and two girlfriends all at home with one bathroom! I needed to do five nine point subjects each semester as some diploma subjects did not count to degree. Then I did an Honours year. There were two wedding that year as well and I managed to acquire enough subjects for a grad. dip. in counselling also along the waysateol.

It's said that "mature age students " have better time management skills than younger students. I'm pretty sure you fit into that description.

Jan said...

Ack! Sorry about that. I didn't watch where my cursor was so have written the word verification tacked on the end of the second last paragraph. It's not some strange new language you see there. Sorry.

MadMad said...

OK, that IS very busy, I have to admit. And I can't believe how much knitting you've gotten done - awesome! (I have also had a kpick cable break on me whilst on vacation. Tres annoying.) OK - sorry so discombobulated... rushing to work and didn't expect there to ACTUALLY be a post here - I just click out of habit, and then whoa: there was a post! Will write more later - love all the sweaters! Enjoy your "vacation" - mine are out today, so I will be non-vacationing for a bit... oh well.

Alwen said...

It's a good feeling to put that non-stash to use, isn't it!

Leonie said...

OMG you look awesome!!! Oh and so do the knits :-P You have been keeping the hands busy, definitely a great way of refraining from strangling challenging people/situations! Can't wait for Bendi!

knightlyknitter.wordpress.com said...

Va-va-voom! I love that Transverse cardigan on you!
I am so pleased to see you blogging again! It has been toooooo loooooong!
I am glad that you have survived your first semester, that you had a warm holiday (jealous!) and that you have found so many beautiful things tucked away in your insulation :)

MadMad said...

Have you ALSO been learning Chinese? Or is that just spam? Boo spammers! Anyway, I just came back to re-read, because I love your posts and all the good stuff in 'em. Like getting a letter from a friend. Remember letters?

Donna Lee said...

You look wonderful. The weight loss really shows. You deserved all those cardigans (and the vacation!)

It sounds like you liked the teaching.

Amy Lane said...

WONDERFUL to hear from you-- and LOOKIE at all you've done! Teaching! BEAUTIFUL knitting! Basking in Fiji! Finding Geckos! WOW-- you filled those months with WAY better things than computer time. Your handicrafts are amazing--and the gecko is really cool! And even better, I'm thrilled to hear from you--always, so happy to hear from you!

Amy

Melinda said...

Such an amazing range of completed knits! Good on you.

catsmum said...

hoping to see you at Bendy [ or as 't'is known in these here parts - Spendigo }

Five Ferns Fibreholic said...

I am in awe of your knitting prowess (teacher did I spell that correctly?)